Cindy is right, though I don't consider that nearly enough to have the whole Buffy=Dawn. Because my sister and I both have the same blood, and the DNA from a hair sample would be close enough to tell that we are related, but we are by no means the same person.

There's a whole sympathetic magic thing in my head that I can see, but not articulate. Will try to do so later.

Willow's happiest moment would be during OM,WF. She's enjoying her power, she's got Tara happy, maleable, and loving. She's at the top of her game.

Well, definitely during "Under Your Spell."

Xander... I'm not sure that he's ever really been happy; too much anger.

Breaking into the Initiative in "Primevil," when Buffy and Willow hugged him.

Breaking into the Initiative in "Primevil," when Buffy and Willow hugged him.

Yes this, and I keep flashing on the beginning of Crush when he and Buffy are investigating the train car that Dru wiped out and she's telling Xander about Spike's crush on her. He gets very silly, and it's very Xanderific - the whole, It's funnier if it's true bit.

BTW, who did the voiceover of the "In every generation" speech at the beginning of the eps in Season 1?

connie - that was creepy announcer guy.

Creepy Announcer Guy--ah, some anonymous W&H flunky?

The Cindy stuff were hints, but not ones that added up to "My blood is EXACTLY the same as her blood." If that's what those moments were meant to convey (even if only after the fact) they weren't enough to make it NOT AN ASSPULL.

imo

Creepy Announcer Guy--ah, some anonymous W&H flunky?

Worse, some anonymous WB flunky.

Actually, now that I think about it, all of the characters seemed pretty dang happy at the beginning of B vs D. Willow and Tara were together, out, and happy, and Willow hadn't gone overboard with the magic. Xander and Anya were together, happy, and probably boinking at least every other day (although Xander would get happier when he moved out of the basement.) Buffy and Riley's relationship hadn't gotten icky yet, and there was no little sister or sick mom to worry about yet. Riley was out of the Initiative. The friends had gotten over the split from season 4, and were pretty tight again. That scene on the beach was one of the few truly happy moments for the whole gang that I remember from the show.

The one exception was Giles (who, tellingly, wasn't on the beach with them.) He was all in turmoil and feeling obsolete as a Watcher. But, hey, can't win them all.

I never had a problem with the "our blood is the same" thing-it seemed to me that had been sufficiently foreshadowed. I could make an argument that they went back and forth over whether the portal would stay open or close once Dawn ran out of blood. But I won't because, hey not real science, so as far as I'm concerned it can operate however they needed it to.

I don't think season five onword ever matched the first four. After that we had plenty of good episodes (even some all time best eps). But I think from five on there were a lot higher percent of bad eps. (Still I admit - good and mediocre outnumbered the truly awful.) And the arcs for season five six and seven just were forced and made little sense. I also think season five onward suffered from arc-itis. That is ME would put out really bad eps with the excuse that they would make perfect sese in retrospect once the arc moved forward. Dude, if an episode stinks I don't care if it advances the season arc plot, or will give us a holy shit moment in retrospect. I want the episode on it's own to be well written. Just like I don't think lousy books are justified by an overall great trilogy. And I don't think lousy chapters are justifed even in a really good book.

Advance the arc, sure, if that pleases your heart. But make good television while doing it please.

And yeah, even 2nd rate Buffy was better than 98% of what else was on. I miss the show. But you know, that is not the standard I judge ME by. Sorry.